措手不及

• Pinyin: cuò shǒu bù jí
• Desglose de hanzi: 措 = 扌+ 昔 (to arrange); 手 = hand; 不 = not; 及 = reach in time

Significado

Pillar desprevenido; coger por sorpresa.

Literally 'hands cannot reach in time.' Used when something happens so suddenly that one cannot prepare or respond properly. Common in news, narratives, and everyday descriptions of unexpected situations.

Ejemplos

1. 突如其来的暴雨让游客们措手不及，纷纷躲进商店避雨。
2. 公司的突然倒闭让员工们措手不及，很多人一时找不到新工作。
3. 对手出其不意的战术让我方球队措手不及，上半场就落后三分。

Guía de uso

Contexto: surprises, news, narratives

Tono: descriptive

Correcto

• 这个消息让我措手不及。(This news caught me completely off guard.)
• 敌人的进攻让守军措手不及。(The enemy's attack caught the defenders unprepared.)

Incorrecto

• 我有充分准备地措手不及 (Contradictory — 措手不及 means unprepared, opposite of having full preparation)

Origen e historia

Classical idiom where 措手 means 'to arrange hands/prepare' and 不及 means 'cannot reach in time.' The whole phrase depicts being unable to prepare for something.

Contexto cultural

Generación: All ages

Contexto social: Universal